Tight connections at ORD and SEA
 

I'm looking at purchasing this itinerary:

Dec 22:
Depart: YWG 6:37 AM United 6757
Arrive: ORD 8:55 AM

Depart: ORD 9:44 AM United 0331
Arrive: SEA 12:29 PM

Depart: SEA 1:26 PM United 0875
Arrive: NRT 5:00 PM

I've never been to SEA, but it seems depending on what gate the flight arrives into ORD I could probably run and make the flight (assuming its on time). Any thoughts?

Having never been to SEA, does that connection look doable? If I missed the flight in ORD would they book me on the direct flight a couple hours later (assuming there was room) for no fee? or is there a change fee? (assuming the flight was late)

All the UA SEA gates are close to eachother, give yourself 15 seconds to walk from one gate to another. :D

ORD-SEA usually arrives at N11
SEA-NRT usually departs from N10

UA has part of the N terminal and that is all they use except for int'l arrivals which need to go through US customs and immigration.

It might take 5 minutes to crawl from one N gate to another. So you'll be fine as long as the plane arrives on time.:D I've taken that particular flight before and actually had very good service to NRT. The NRT-SIN segment was another story.

As others have said, no problem in changing gates in SEA, even if you are the last one off the plane. It all hinges of your ORD/SEA being reasonably on time.

DEN

I would not recommend to go for this itin.

Even if only minor things go wrong on your first or second leg, you will enjoy an involuntary overnight stay in SEA. But if that is OK with you, then go ahead. ;)

If you come in late to ORD because of a reason UA has to account for and there is space on the nonstop to NRT and you find yourself a cooperative CSR - yes, then they will rebook you with or without a fee.

But special situations are always special, so nobody on FT here can guarantee for nill. ;)

a bit risky
 

Do you preclear customs at Winnipeg? If you clear at ORD you easily could misconnect (even if you have status) , & if you also have to dash a l-o-n-g way to gate (frequent at ORD). . .well, 54 min is tight. UA will rebook you at no charge if you miss connection through no fault of yours, but routing/seats etc. may not be a thrill (middle-seat E- if flt is heavily booked). OTOH, many Asia flts go out half empty near Xmas.

Agree that N gates are very close to each other at SEA -- you can stroll the whole, very-well marked circle in <5 min. Only SEA problem is weather in late Dec (also at ORD). Xmas time 2008 had flts many hr late into SEA (laughable Winnipeg snow shuts Seattle down) & there were weather disruptions in 2005 & 2006 at holiday time.

YWG-ORD flights arrive @ terminal 2 concourse F, he will do customs in Canada

So if the OP arrives on time it takes at least 5 minutes to taxi, another 5 to deplane and 10 - 15 to the gate at B - C. That's tight if the flight is late by 10 minutes or the gate is occupied, or the jet bridge operator is late, or any of the other multiple problems that happen at ORD.

The first flights into ORD are typically on time unless the weather is REALLY crappy. (When I was flying out there, we would often be 20 minutes early since they overblock the flights) You will have to change terminals in ORD (F to C or B) but you dont have to go thru security again. This itin is doable if you know where to go and you dont waste any time.

good luck

I would be much more concerned about the limited connection time in ORD than the hour in SEA. If you are late into ORD and/or the ORD-SEA flight is running late, ask to switch to the ORD-NRT non-stop.

49 minute connection at ORD?
I'd be worry.
Does it meet MCT anyway?

Thanks for all the comments. Its a bookable on united.ca so it should meet the MCT. I'm going to hold out for the direct ORD-NRT flights to come down in price before booking this. (Currently there about +$300)

Just want to bump this for a related question, Wikipedia makes reference to a shuttle between the E,F and C concourses run by United. For those who have used the shuttle did it save anytime? Any idea if it exists what F gate you would get it at / its frequency.

This itin is still the cheapest I can find and one leg is on a 777 which is a plus for me having never been on one so still might gamble and book it.

See the O'Hare map here: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,1113,00.html

The shuttle is useful if your onward flight to SEA is leaving from the C gates. If it departs from B it is quicker to walk (you do not need to re-clear security). The shuttle runs every 10 minutes or so and you catch it at gate E3.

I say book it.. there's plenty of time for connections..and you'll even have a few minutes to visit the duty free store at SEA right next to N10 where your flight to NRT will depart from.

35 mins is the MCT at ORD. I've done some pretty tight connections at ORD, 35 or 40 min's, and I've had to run sometimes, and not at others. Then again, I've had two hour connections where a late inbound meant I had to sprint from C to B to make it. My general rule is to try avoiding anything less than a 55-60 min. connection at ORD if possible.

Depending on your aircraft, you are likely to come into F concourse (if its a CRJ, then it will for sure arrive at F). But sometimes, CR7's come into C or into B22/B22A. If that's the case, it will likely be a shorter walk. If you go from F to C, definitely take the shuttle, it is much faster than walking.